ST. LOUIS & CLAYTON | Project Rundown

[Arch City]

Missouri Theater renovation begins, will feature a BB King’s Blues Club
Dec 9, 2014, 1:13pm CST UPDATED: Dec 9, 2014, 1:41pm CST



The Lawrence Group closed Monday on nearly $6 million in financing for its renovation of the Missouri Theater in Grand Center.

Remediation and some demolition work has begun, and should be completed in about five months, Steve Smith, Lawrence Group CEO, said in an interview.

Eagle Bank provided the financing. The entire first phase of the project will cost $29.3 million, Smith said. Eagle Bank is expected also to finance construction costs.

Smith said the first phase, including 108 apartments and 25,000 square feet of commercial space, should be completed by spring 2016.

A contractor has not yet been chosen.

BB King's Blues Club, which has locations in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, will open a venue and restaurant on the ground floor of the Missouri Theater, occupying about 12,000 square feet. Flying Cow Frozen Yogurt, now at 3331 Locust St., will move to another Missouri Theater commercial space. Lawrence Group officials are in discussions with other potential tenants.

Read More

[Arch City]

^Pt. 2 Rendering

Missouri Lofts in Grand Center - St. Louis' Arts and Entertainment District.

[Busy Bee]

Awesome, it looks like they're going to recreate the marquee albeit modified and slightly smaller:


_

[Arch City]

Updates on a few St. Louis Central Corridor projects.

The Standard @ St. Louis, will be adjacent to the SLU campus and IKEA and feature 465 beds in a range of 1-5 bedroom floor plans.


Ikea and the Evolving Midtown Skyline by pasa47, on Flickr


The Standard Construction by pasa47, on Flickr

The Standard @ St. Louis, open land (foreground) is where CORTEX is planning to building labs and offices.


The Standard by pasa47, on Flickr


Vandeventer by pasa47, on Flickr

West Pine Lofts, Hallmark Communities, a developer from Columbus, OH is building the West Pine Lofts, a 206-unit, 4-story apartment complex.


West Pine Lofts Construction by pasa47, on Flickr


IKEA, The 380,000 square-foot future IKEA St. Louis store, with 1,300 parking spaces, is being built on 21 acres along Interstate 64 at Vandeventer Avenue, and will open in the city’s Cortex Innovation District.


Ikea and the Evolving Midtown Skyline by pasa47, on Flickr


Vandeventer and Duncan by pasa47, on Flickr


Ikea Construction by pasa47, on Flickr


Metrolink under 40 by pasa47, on Flickr


Ikea Construction by pasa47, on Flickr


Ikea Construction by pasa47, on Flickr

IKEA foreground, CORTEX and Washington University University Medical Center, background


Where the Railroad Tracks End by pasa47, on Flickr

[Arch City]

Video: $5 million gift funding STL Art Museum Sculpture Garden

St. Louis seems to have an obsession with sculpture gardens.

Coming up is the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) Outdoor Sculpture Garden in Forest Park.

Debuting in the spring of 2015, the Saint Louis Art Museum's new sculpture garden will showcase the Museum's strong, international collection of modern and contemporary sculpture. The garden, located immediately south of the Museum, will be a tranquil sanctuary to experience art.

Michel Desvigne designed the garden in coordination with Sir David Chipperfield, architect of the Museum's East Building. Based in Paris, Desvigne has developed projects in more than 12 countries and has been awarded the Medal of the French Academy of Architecture and the French Grand prix de l'Urbanisme.

Installation of sculpture began in the summer of 2014.

Thanks to a generous gift of $5 million by Barbara and Andy Taylor, the Saint Louis Art Museum has begun construction of a new sculpture garden that will be installed with masterworks from the collection and more than 450 new trees.

“Andy and I take great pleasure in supporting the Saint Louis Art Museum’s vision of connecting visitors with world-class sculpture in a distinctive way,” said Barbara Taylor. “This new sculpture garden will be a beautiful and significant addition to the Museum, as well as to Forest Park.”

[Arch City]

Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) recently moved into its new headquarters in suburban Chesterfield.

RGA is the only global life reinsurance company headquartered in the United States.

RGA is one of largest life reinsurers with approximately $2.9 trillion of life reinsurance in force, assets of $39.7 billion (as of December 31, 2013) and operations in 26 countries.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

That is badass.

[Busy Bee]

Where'd they move from?

[Arch City]

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

That is badass.

Here's more on the RGA project.

RGA headquarters building adds flare to St. Louis’ Interstate-64 corridor
December 15, 2014 | Dan Rafter | Midwest Real Estate News

St. Louis’ Interstate-64 corridor is getting a bit more exciting. That’s thanks to the new $150 million Reinsurance Group of America global headquarters designed by Fox Architects and international architecture firm Gensler.

The 405,000-square-foot stone, glass and steel headquarters building opening this month in Chesterfield, Mo., is visually bold. And it will certainly stand out among its neighbors. “There is nothing like this building on the I-64 corridor or anywhere in Missouri,” said Bob Dunn of Fox Architects, in a written statement.

The Reinsurance Group of America headquarters building is the largest project in the St. Louis region since construction wrapped on Centene Plaza in 2010. It ranks as the largest headquarters project in the region in at least two decades. Fox Architects designed the interiors of the building and served as Reinsurance Group of America’s consultant to architectural firm Gensler on the design of the core and shell of the building. The architects didn’t skimp on style when designing the building.

The headquarters consists of two five-story towers linked to a two-story atrium lobby and amenities bar. This space features 10,000 square feet of training facilities, a 7,500-square-foot fitness center, 20,000-square-foot kitchen area and a 500-seat cafeteria that can also function as a 700-seat auditorium.

The building, which sits on a 17-acre site, has been designed to accommodate future growth at Reinsurance Group of America. Plans are already in place for a third building on the site, one that will be built when growth at the company requires it.

Read More

[Arch City]

Area News section
City Walk Taking Shape At Euclid & West Pine In Central West End
Whole Foods to anchor seven-story building
by Jaime Mowers
West End Word



December 17, 2014

Where there once was a gaping hole at the corner of North Euclid and West Pine is turning into a seven-story high rise that includes apartments, a parking garage and a Whole Foods.

Whole Foods Market Inc. broke ground last December for the new store in the Central West End. The market will occupy a portion of the $75 million development by Mills Properties Inc. called City Walk on Euclid, which will feature roughly 177 apartments along with a 450-space parking garage, developer Bruce Mills said.

He said although progress on the project was slighted delayed by less-than-ideal weather last winter and spring, construction is close to being on schedule, with the goal of completion by the end of 2015.

"Whole Foods will take over their space and start building it out sometime in May or June (2015), and they'll be doing construction at the same time we'll be doing it," Mills said. "We're looking to have the whole thing completed by the end of the year."

Mills called the development a "game changer" for the Central West End.



Read More

[Arch City]

Here's an update on St. Louis' multi-phased $400-million riverfront project - called CityARCHRiver. This is Phase I. Phase II has begun.


IMG_5192 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_4973 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_4706 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_4705 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5197 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5155 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_4579 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5182 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_4664 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_4584 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5111 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5118 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5235 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr


IMG_5033 by CityArchRiver 2015, on Flickr

[Centropolis]

nice. looking forward to spending more time down on that river. i forget about it.

[Arch City]

Another historic downtown residential project.

Apartments coming to 125-year-old St. Louis building built as warehouse for drying tobacco
January 02, 2015 4:15 am • By Tim Bryant
St. Louis Post-Dispatch


The six-story building near Union Station, at 1900 Pine Street, will get a total interior rehab as 87 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. (Post-Dispatch photo)

In downtown St. Louis, a 125-year-old brick warehouse built for drying tobacco is about to undergo conversion as apartments.

Sherman Associates, a housing developer based in Minneapolis, is behind the undertaking. Paul Keenan, a Sherman Associates manager, said work on the project — called Station Plaza — will begin by mid-January.

The six-story building near Union Station, at 1900 Pine Street, will get a total interior rehab as 87 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. The $10.5 million construction job will obliterate offices put into the now-vacant building in the 1980s.

Key to the new project are state and federal low-income housing tax credits, plus state and federal historic preservation tax credits, Keenan said. The project also has from the city 15 years of property tax abatement.

Housing tax credits are especially valuable to Station Plaza because they allow Sherman Associates to offer below-market rents, Keenan said. He noted that Station Plaza is several blocks west of downtown’s higher-rent, more densely populated area.

Monthly rents for Station Plaza’s studio apartments will be $525. One-bedroom apartments will rent for $650 while two-bedroom units will go for $780. All the apartments will carry income restrictions for residents, who generally may earn no more than 60 percent of the area’s median annual individual or family income to qualify as tenants. (Median family income is $67,100 in the city; 60 percent for a family of four is $40,260. An individual’s adjusted income would be $28,200.)

Keenan said Station Plaza should be ready for occupancy by Jan. 1, 2016. The project includes space for 127 vehicles on a parking lot next to the building.

Royal Bank of Canada is putting $6.9 million in Station Plaza through the federal housing and historic preservation tax credits. Sugar Creek Capital, of Webster Groves, is investing $2.15 million in state housing tax credits, Keenan said.

Sherman Associates, whose historic preservation projects include the Syndicate Apartments at 915 Olive Street, said the old tobacco warehouse on Pine is a smart investment.

“There’s definitely some good economic activity going on in that part of St. Louis,” Keenan said.

Read More

[Arch City]

^Historic photo of the Station Plaza building (right). The view across Aloe Plaza from Union Station in 1947.

[cardinalstl]

By David Hunn
St. Louis Post Dispatch

ST. LOUIS • A two-man team appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to keep football in St. Louis revealed a grand vision on Friday:

An open-air stadium just feet from the Mississippi River downtown, complete with a floating riverfront trail, boat docks, acres of parking — and no new taxes.

It should even accommodate a Major League Soccer team.

Former Anheuser-Busch President David Peacock and current Edward Jones Dome attorney Robert Blitz held a packed news conference Friday to reveal highlights from their briefing with the governor.

The concept, they emphasized, would take vision to embrace: The construction of a 64,000-seat stadium, for as much as $985 million, on land now occupied mostly by overgrown lots, empty warehouses and crumbling brick.



Read More:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...ce6603771.html

[Arch City]

Source

[Arch City]

From The Opus Group's website:

THE OPUS GROUP® ANNOUNCES START OF CONSTRUCTION ON LUXURY APARTMENT BUILDING IN ST. LOUIS

1/14/2015

​ST. LOUIS – The Opus Group (Opus) in partnership with AIG Global Real Estate announced today the start of construction of a 12-story luxury apartment building in the historic Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to offer a modern, upscale living option in the Central West End,” said Joe Downs, senior director of real estate development, Opus Development Company, L.L.C. “The start of this project represents the culmination of a community effort in bringing this vision to fruition.”

Designed to be cohesive with the surrounding architecture, the building will include 217 apartment residences with a variety of floor plan choices, including alcove, one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as penthouses on the top two floors. Residences will feature high ceilings, abundant natural light, balconies, and high-end finishes including granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Read More

[Arch City]

Progress on St. Louis College of Pharmacy's new research, expanded library and classroom building.





The College broke ground on its new academic and research building and library on April 25, 2014 ushering in a new era for the College, which is celebrating 150 years since its founding. The new six-story, 213,000-square-foot building will house the School of Pharmacy and will include a large auditorium, several large classrooms, smaller classrooms, study areas, and 30,000 square feet of research space.

The library will more than triple in size and there will also be a welcome center for prospective students and their families. The new building will ensure that the College will continue to be a global leader in pharmacy and healthcare education.


New Academic and Research Building and Library Groundbreaking by St. Louis College of Pharmacy, on Flickr


New Academic and Research Building and Library Groundbreaking by St. Louis College of Pharmacy, on Flickr


New Academic and Research Building and Library Groundbreaking by St. Louis College of Pharmacy, on Flickr

[Arch City]

Video: IKEA St. Louis to Install Largest Solar Roof in Missouri


St. Louis IKEA under construction @ I-64 and Vanderventer Avenue in St. Louis City.

[Arch City]

Boeing breaks ground on $200-million St. Louis Commercial plant
(click link for video)



Last month, Boeing Commercial recently broke ground on its St. Louis Composite Center of Excellence. The new center is expected to add 700 new jobs.

It marks the first time commercial airline construction has entered the St. Louis market - usually home to defense aircraft manufacturers and suppliers.

The new 367,000-square-foot composite center in suburban Berkeley will make parts for Boeing’s new 777X airliner.

In St. Louis, Boeing will make parts for the 777X wing, which will be assembled in Everett, Wash. When operational in 2017, the 777X project will eventually employ up to 700 people in St. Louis.

Boeing is investing $200 million in the facility, which includes the construction cost and equipment, said Philip Carder, spokesman for Boeing Defense, Space & Security, which is based in north St. Louis County.

The building will expand the operation’s capacity in composite materials, which are critical both to the 777X and to military aircraft.